After moving to San Francisco for college, I took a break and moved back to Sutter Creek with my family. While I was there, I worked at a local men’s clothing store. One day my dad came through the door of the store and changed my life forever.
My mother had been in a serious car accident. I was shocked. Everything had been normal when I left the house that morning. Thirty minutes later, I was at the hospital with my brothers and sisters, waiting. The next couple of hours were torturous as we waited to hear from the doctors; my mother didn’t survive. After her death, I was heartbroken. She’d been my best friend and suddenly the future opened up as this great empty space without her. My father took it especially hard, and, as a newly single father of six children, he was lost.
I knew I wouldn’t be going back to college. I stayed home with my siblings and took a job waiting tables during lunch at a local café. This gave me enough time to get home before the kids came back from school and assist around the house. Months passed by in a blur as I dealt with my grief and did what I could to help my family.
The following year, my dad remarried and I felt it was time for me to move on. I moved to Sacramento with a friend, and my then boyfriend, who I would one day marry. I’ve stayed in Sacramento ever since. I found a career in the hospitality industry, rising through the ranks to manage two popular restaurants for a local family. My husband and I married, built a life, and made a home.
Those months working in that café gave me a taste for the hospitality industry that led me to a decades-long career. I loved serving others, bringing smiles to their faces, and helping them have an enjoyable experience. Never knowing who would walk through the door was something that kept it exciting, I thought I’d always work in restaurants.
But I’d always loved houses, architectures, the beauty and history of a place. So, in 2005, I got my real estate license, my husband and I worked as a real estate team for many years. Then one day in 2014, everything changed again. He’d been struggling with rheumatoid arthritis for some time, and after a surgery he had developed an infection that led to complications.
Two years later, my husband passed away. After 36 years together, I was devastated and left wondering what to do next. Professionally, I’d been managing restaurants for the same family for over two decades, I felt a part of their family. But I also loved doing real estate, I knew I had to make a choice between the two, and so I did.
I chose real estate and have been loving it ever since. I jumped in and followed my passion. I’ve always loved meeting new people, taking care of others, and providing first class service. It’s why I stayed in the hospitality industry so long; I loved seeing the smile on a customer’s face when they had a great experience. Now I get to do that on a larger scale, helping people achieve their biggest dreams of homeownership and create lasting relationships and memories.
All those years ago, when I lost my mother, it hit me hard that life keeps moving forward no matter what. It doesn't pause for anyone, including me. I've been together with my partner for six years now, sharing life's twists and turns. Embracing life's unpredictability, I make sure to prioritize my clients, always placing them first and assuring them of my unwavering support.
Buying or selling a home is a big deal, it can be a life-changing experience. That’s why I always put myself in your shoes, I remember what it was like buying my first home, and then later selling it. The excitement, the fire, all those emotions. I love houses, my adoration of architecture has been with me my entire adult life. My history as a caretaker for my family and working in the hospitality industry gave me my love of people and relationships. I always put customer service before anything else, knowing how important support is during a purchase or sale and beyond. When I meet people, it’s the beginning of a long friendship, I love this community, the people here, and I aim to be a lifelong resource to you and your family for your every real estate need.
With gratitude,
Michael Triglia
REALTOR®